For years, Dwayne Douglas Johnson, more commonly referred to as The Rock, has fooled the world. His record-setting six World Wrestling Federation championship titles are just overshadowing the real reason behind the name. “The Rock” does not represent his huge stature or impressive wrestling track record. As seen in “The Scorpion King,” his nickname describes the scope of his acting capabilities.
Stepping outside the familiar wrestling arena – where he should forever remain – The Rock pains viewers in his return to the big screen. After making his film debut in “The Mummy Returns,” he again portrays the heroic Mathayus in the film’s sequel, “The Scorpion King.”
According to a 5,000-year-old legend, the evil Memnon sought world domination, savagely destroying all in his quest. Guided by a beautiful and powerful seer, Memnon learns how and when to attack. In an attempt to restore justice and order to the world, the courageous Mathayus vows to eliminate this evil force.
Through his portrayal of Mathayus, The Rock turns Egyptian legend into absurdity. In his depiction of the great Egyptian swordsman, The Rock karate chops and flies through the air to defeat Memnon (Steven Brand).
It is Mathayus’ job to restore order and, of course, get the girl – in this case, the seer Cassandra, portrayed by newcomer Kelly Hu.
Cassandra fights alongside Mathayus and is, naturally, scantily clad. Her greatest skill is keeping her few pieces of clothing on her body.
From the first scene, The Rock’s fast-paced action sequences set the vigorous tenor that characterizes the entire picture. The Rock, who performs all his own stunts, develops his character only marginally beyond one of brute strength and, amusingly, rock-like facial expressions. The action dominates, leaving little room for plot development.
Although the cast includes actors such as Academy Award nominee Michael Clarke Duncan (“The Green Mile”) and Bernard Hill (“Gandhi”), the picture still lacks substance. Any semblance of a story is lost amid the sword fighting, fire throwing and bulging muscles.
The film’s outlandish scenes overshadow the Scorpion King legend. For instance, while Mathayus battles two soldiers, he leaps over fire pits, only to land in Cassandra’s bathtub of roses.
Filmed in California, the picture also lacks authenticity. Palm trees and conspicuous backdrops bear little resemblance to the arid Egyptian desert.
In all fairness, though, the picture is not designed to be a serious, dramatic epic. But the film takes the poetic license of the action genre to an extreme.
In the clich
